Death of a Sailor
by MissJayne
Summary: A suspicious death leads to more trouble for the team. Set in Kos, Greece. Some Jibbs. Lily!
1. Prologue

Death of a Sailor

_Summary: A suspicious death leads to more trouble for the team. Set in Kos, Greece. Some Jibbs. Lily!_

_Spoilers: Only for my two previous stories, NonExistent Numbers, and The Embassy Incident. Interrogation is referenced briefly as well. It should be possible to read this one without reading the others. _

_A/N: I confess to writing this chapter very late at night, when my brain wasn't quite engaged. I've checked it since so it should make sense... Thanks to my wonderful beta Kristen!_

Chapter 1: Prologue

Tony DiNozzo wiped another bead of sweat from his forehead and glanced around in frustration. Why would anyone live in a place that was so damn hot? Everyone else seemed to be withstanding the waves of heat; waves that would make Hell look freezing in comparison.

They were at, of all places, a funeral. But no, this couldn't be a simple funeral detail, out in the open air. Somehow, the Director had been dragged into it, which meant that Gibbs had decided to be overprotective and bring his entire team with him to keep her safe. He had mentioned crazy CIA agents who might just be tempted to blow the coffin sky high because her coffee wasn't warm enough. This justification must have gone down well with the SecNav, as the whole Major Case Response team had been put on protective duty for the Director.

To make matters worse, they were in Kos. Or, as he had termed it when he learnt that no toilet paper could be flushed into the drains, '_the hottest, most backward little Greek island ever_'. Gibbs hadn't bothered to head-slap him, instead going in search of coffee. The private plane that had taken them to the island had had a broken coffee machine, much to the team's horror. Gibbs without his caffeine fix was a scary sight.

Tony glanced around again. He honestly didn't know what Gibbs was expecting. Half the Greek army to pop out from behind the nearest mountain and start taking pot shots? The Greeks and the Turks to suddenly decide to fight over the island again? The entire funeral party to ritually slaughter the Director?

Ziva stood about ten paces away, as alert as ever. The heat and humidity didn't appear to bother her in the slightest. Even the Probie, who was the other side of the coffin, seemed unaffected by the heat. Tony doubted that any weather could bother Gibbs, and the Director appeared to be coping as well.

A tall, plump man moved to the head of the coffin to say a few words. Tony tried to make his brain function again. He was Mark… Mark Sutcliff, some Washington bigshot. It was his son who had died… committed suicide. Petty Officer Daniel Sutcliff? Who had been… on leave? Tony resisted the urge to shake his head to clear it. How many people died here from the heat?

* * *

Jennifer Shepard was profoundly relieved when the service was over. She wasn't sure how she had been coerced into attending. After all, she hadn't known the decreased, barely knew the father, and there hadn't been an NCIS investigation into the death. One phone call from the SecNav, who had told her to get out there, had been her only warning.

Truth be told, the only reason she had shown up was the thought that Lily might be behind it. It was very like her to operate in roundabout ways, and Jenny hadn't heard from her sister in a few weeks. But there had been no contact, no hint at all that she was even in this hemisphere. And the lack of contact could simply be attributed to some classified mission.

She had been intrigued by Jethro's determination to keep her protected. She wondered if it had anything to do with a late night visit she was certain that Lily would have made by now…

As she moved away to mingle with the guests, people she had never met or heard of, she noticed Mark making his way over to her. If Lily hadn't requested her presence, perhaps it was the father.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Director," he greeted her warmly.

She was instantly alert; he appeared too cheerful straight after burying his son. "It was not a problem," she lied, pondering how to attract Jethro's attention without being too obvious. Not for the first time, she wished Lily were present. Sometimes it was exceptionally useful to have someone who could practically read your mind.

"I'm afraid that I called in a few favors with your boss to get you out here," he confessed, taking her arm and guiding her away from the others slightly. "I have a small problem."

"Okay…" She wasn't sure where he was going with this, and wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.

"I don't believe that my son committed suicide."

* * *

Gibbs surveyed the scene again. McGee was staying near to the coffin. Tony looked as though he was about to collapse with heatstroke; Gibbs made a mental note to ask Ducky to check him out the moment they got stateside. Ziva was quietly shadowing the Director. And Jenny was… she had moved to the edge of the group, conversing softly with the father.

He forced down the irrational jealousy that coursed through his veins, reminding himself that Mark What's-his-name was married and his grieving wife was currently surrounded by mourners. Deciding that marching over and physically removing Jenny from the situation would put him in her bad books, and probably Lily's too, he ended up glaring at his senior field agent. Tony had the sense to look abashed, and rapidly integrated himself with the nearest group of mourners to the Director.

* * *

"Why do you believe that?" Jenny knew better than to lead the man. Was this why she had been called out? Did he know that she was the Director, that asking for a team instead would have been a better option?

Mark sighed. "My son… he would never have killed himself."

"Sometimes people feel they have no way out," she told him softly. She wondered if he knew about her father's supposed suicide.

"My son was a Catholic," Mark replied. "He believed, as I do and my family does, that suicide is a sin. That it will take you straight to Hell."

Jenny felt sympathetic, but still didn't see what she could do to help. "If he was depressed –"

"My son called me the day before his death. He seemed to be under a little stress, but nothing that would make him do this! Nothing! Please, can you look into his death? If he killed himself, I need to know why. And if he didn't, I want his murderer to suffer as I am suffering."

Jenny considered. "I suppose… I suppose my team could remain here for a few days and investigate."

"And you too?" He was almost pleading.

"Only for a few days," she told him. '_What have I just got into?_' she wondered.


	2. Going Shopping

_Thanks to my wonderful beta Kristen. I forgot to mention in the previous post that every setting in this story is based on something I saw while in Kos myself, with the except of the boats and the funeral._

Chapter 2: Going Shopping

Ziva David stayed alert on the way back to the hotel. Although she doubted that the Director was in any danger, she knew better than to let her guard down, if only for a moment. If she were going to strike, she would do it when everyone had relaxed, and she applied this knowledge to the situation.

She had been apprehensive when informed by Gibbs that they were going to Kos. She had never been before, and had taken the opportunity to learn about the island. It was currently Greek, although Turkey and Italy had ruled over it in the past. It lay three miles off the Turkish coast, and was surrounded by other small islands.

Her eyes lit up as she recognized the surrounding area; they had just entered the outskirts of Kardamena. Although it was normally visited by young tourists due to its' nightlife, it had been the only place on the island that Gibbs had managed to get accommodation at such short notice. She had thought that Tony would have been in heaven with all the young girls around, but he was clearly suffering from the heat and humidity.

As the cars pulled up in front of the hotel, Ziva hopped out and scanned the area. Seeing no suspicious activity, she nodded to Gibbs and they followed the Director inside.

The ground floor was very open; disappointing from a security point of view, but it allowed a light breeze to flow through to cool everything down. There was an open-air swimming pool at the back, which was currently populated by hoards of screaming children. There was a small bar, mainly unused due to the large number of cheaper bars a short walk away.

The security was better upstairs. Although the corridors were narrow, everything looked the same. Unless an attacker knew where they were going, they were at a disadvantage.

Ziva followed the Director into the room they were sharing. Tony and McGee were sharing another room on one side, while Gibbs had his own room on the other. The Israeli approved of the arrangements from a defensive standpoint, as their mark was protected on both sides.

Jenny beckoned the rest of the team in, before reaching into the mini-fridge in the corner and retrieving enough bottles of chilled water to pass around. Everyone gratefully took a few sips, Tony looking as though Christmas had come early.

The Director got straight down to business. "Mark Sutcliff believes that his son was murdered."

Gibbs opened the balcony doors to allow a breeze to blow in. "Any proof?" he asked.

"His son was a Catholic and wouldn't have committed suicide."

Ziva privately thought that this wasn't proof; Gibbs agreed. "If he was under enough pressure –" he began.

The Director cut him off. "Then you don't have a problem investigating the death."

He glared at her. "There isn't anything to investigate."

"I'd like to know what kind of pressure could cause a man to commit suicide."

Ziva smothered a grin. Not many people would dare to argue with Gibbs.

"Regardless of what you think," the Director continued. "I'm staying. Just for a few days."

"Then I will stay too," Ziva added.

Her fellow teammates looked perturbed. Gibbs glared at them.

"For security purposes, I'll stay as well," Tony piped up nervously.

"The Director needs a detail," McGee pointed out.

Gibbs sighed. "Fine. We're all staying."

* * *

Timothy McGee suppressed the urge to complain as he left what must have been the fiftieth shop in the last half an hour. The team and the Director were flashing pictures of Petty Officer Daniel Sutcliff to see if they could locate someone who knew him. Their search was going nowhere fast, if his success was being repeated elsewhere.

The shops were all slightly different. They were mostly on a main street, with a few others in side streets. There were places selling all kinds of food, tourist knick-knacks, bars, clubs, pubs, books, clothes, and even one selling weapons. McGee had been relieved that Ziva hadn't been assigned that shop, or he doubted they would ever get her out.

He glanced at his watch again, and noticed it was about time he joined up with the others. They had arranged to meet in the town square after they had finished. McGee suspected that this was probably so that Tony didn't disappear for a few hours. Realizing that he had at long last visited every place in his area, he turned around and headed back.

He reached the square a few minutes before the others were due to arrive. Dodging another motorbike that was driving down the narrow streets, he decided to wait by the mailbox, as it was right in the center of the square.

Ziva arrived first, closely followed by Gibbs. Nobody said anything for a while, waiting for the others to return. Finally, Gibbs spoke up.

"All I found out was that he liked to gamble," he told them.

"He drank a bit, but gambled every night," Ziva reported.

"I got nothing, boss," McGee added.

Gibbs scanned the square again. "Where's DiNozzo?"

Ziva shrugged her shoulders. "I have not seen him."

"Where's the Director?" McGee asked. "Surely we should be more worried about her?"

"Jenny can take care of herself," Ziva pointed out.

"But we're supposed to be protecting her," he added. "I thought she was staying with someone."

"She was with me," Gibbs said. "And I left her in a shop when she showed no signs of leaving. I'm more worried about DiNozzo."

* * *

Tony DiNozzo strolled down the street, exceptionally pleased with himself. He'd been given several dozen phone numbers by some very beautiful women, and been offered a lot of free drinks. Knowing that his boss would kill him if he drank while on duty, he'd turned them down, promising instead that he would come back later.

He had finally adjusted to the heat, probably because it was late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. He was heading back towards the square, knowing that he was going to be late. He'd become stuck when a car had decided to crawl down the street, unable to get past it. After what seemed like a lifetime, it had turned into another side street and he had been able to pick up the pace.

A flash of red hair made him pause for a moment. He knew that Gibbs had gone with the Director, but perhaps they had become separated?

He decided to take a risk; after all, he was already late. He ducked into the shop, noticing the shelves stacked high with books. It was impossible to see much; the shelves acted like columns, blocking his view.

He _was_ right. He could see the Director leafing through a small book, completely unaware of her surroundings. Gibbs was nowhere to be seen. Tony moved over to her side and called out to her quietly.

She jumped, closing the book, looking almost like a deer caught in headlights. "Tony," she greeted him.

"We were supposed to meet the others about half an hour ago," he reminded her.

"Oops." She glanced at her watch. "I guess I lost track of time. Did you find anything?"

He followed her out of the shop. "I got some phone numbers, but nothing else."

She weaved expertly in and out of the crowds. "Let's hope the others did better."

* * *

The moment he set eyes on her, he knew. Lily. Instead of screaming at her, which he knew would not end well, Gibbs greeted her pleasantly, before head-slapping DiNozzo for being late. Making another mental note to tattoo names on foreheads, he almost dragged her back to the hotel.

What was she doing here? He knew that she was supposed to take vacations, but also knew that she disliked not working. Lily was always up to something. Why would she pick the same island to visit at the same time as her sister?

On the other hand, the sisters were identical in a lot of disturbing ways. Even when they were at opposite ends of the earth and had no way to contact the other, they dressed identically. He was at a loss to explain how they could do it, or how they shared exactly the same tastes in a lot of things. In addition, anything that they did not share put them at contrary ends of the spectrum. Maybe this was just a coincidence.

Ordering his team to meet him for dinner, he opened his hotel room door and ushered Lily in…

To find Jenny sitting on his bed, reading a book.

"I was going to buy that one," Lily complained, before joining her sister.

"You should have told Tony to leave you alone," Jenny replied, only half listening.

"Hey!" Gibbs interrupted.

They both looked at him.

"What were you doing?" he questioned.

"Not getting caught?" Lily suggested.

"Keeping out of sight?" Jenny offered.

"I swear, one of these days –"

"You'll do what?" Lily inquired, amused.

He glared at her. "This is not funny."

"You're right." Lily stood up to leave. "Next time, tell DiNozzo to look around before he snatches one of us."

She stalked out. Gibbs turned to Jenny.

"I was in the next aisle," she told him, without needing to be asked.

"You didn't notice DiNozzo?"

"I didn't know she was there! I hear him greeting me, I turned around and I couldn't see him anywhere! It doesn't take a genius to figure out who he'd seen instead."

He sighed softly, reaching into the mini-fridge to get a bottle of water. "You two need to do something so that you're easier to tell apart," he warned.

"Find anything?"

"Nothing relevant. Can we go now?"

"I was thinking of going to the local police station tomorrow. I'd like to see their file."

He groaned, and flopped onto the bed. Jenny chuckled before returning to her book.


	3. Drinks, a Hangover, and a Call Home

_Thanks again to Kristen! _

Chapter 3: Drinks, a Hangover, and a Call Home

Leroy Jethro Gibbs stared out across the bay. The sun had set rapidly, bringing a cooler night breeze. Lights seemed to be everywhere, and he could already hear the dance music playing.

He was sitting with his team and Jenny at a casual restaurant a hundred yards from the beach. He had chosen where they were eating, picking somewhere secluded and outside. The only reason he had insisted on choosing was that Jenny would have automatically picked the same place as her sister, and he didn't fancy explaining Lily to the rest of his team.

Jenny sat to one side of him, more relaxed than she had been since before boarding the plane out. While waiting for their meals, she had slipped her hand into his. They had only let go when they'd had to. She smiled at him, and they teased each other.

The sole reason he had allowed himself to relax, and she had too, was that he knew Lily wouldn't be far away. The sisters looked out for each other, as much as it was possible to do so when one was a CIA agent and the other was the Director of a different armed federal agency. He briefly wondered where Lily was, before turning his thoughts back to the one in front of him.

* * *

Two restaurants down, Lily glanced up again to see her sister throw back her head and laugh. She smiled to herself; generally if Jenny was happy, she was happy, and vice versa. Sometimes it made life a lot simpler.

"Mom?"

She turned to the small boy next to her, her green eyes locking onto his. "Jasper?"

He grinned devilishly. "What's Aunt Jenny so pleased about?"

"Had a good day, I guess. Does this mean you've finally decided what you want to eat?"

* * *

As he stumbled through the door to his room several hours later, slightly worse the wear for a few drinks, Tony decided it was time to win some more money.

After dinner, Gibbs had escorted Jenny back to the hotel, leaving his team to do whatever they pleased, with a warning that they needed to be ready to go at 0700 the next morning. Tony, Ziva and McGee had visited two bars before the Probie left to get some sleep. Ziva had followed an hour later, while Tony had continued to party.

Now, as he staggered to his bed, Tony tripped over his suitcase and fell flat on his face.

"I told you to move that this morning," McGee's voice greeted him from out of the darkness.

Tony sat up and rubbed his head. "Why didn't you move it, McDoofus?"

McGee ignored the comment. "Drink some water and go to bed."

"Not yet."

McGee turned the light on and glared at his friend. "It's too late for this. Can we talk in the morning?"

"Nope." He managed to get to his feet, and promptly collapsed on the bed. "I have a new bet."

"Goodnight Tony." McGee reached over to flip off the light switch but Tony batted his hand away.

"There is something going on between the boss and the boss' boss," he announced.

McGee stared at him as though he'd grown another head.

"Come on, you can't see it? The way they've been acting? The smiles and the joking over dinner, and believe me, it takes a _lot_ to make Gibbs smile."

"They had quite a bit to drink first. You don't remember that part?"

"Remember when I dropped my fork on the floor?"

"I remember Gibbs telling you to stop clowning around."

Tony winced. "When I ducked under the table to get it, they were holding hands."

"Seriously?" All of a sudden, McGee was intrigued.

"Yeah. And he took her straight back here afterwards..."

"They'd had a bit to drink and they're older than us. They were probably tired," McGee rationalized.

"Come on! Fifty bucks says they're sharing a bed."

McGee considered. He normally lost bets to Tony, but he considered himself perceptive and he couldn't have missed something as big as this. Tony was half-drunk and out of his mind. "Deal. How do we prove it?"

"Easy. We ask Ziva." Tony abruptly sat up and turned the light off.

* * *

Standing in the local police station, Ziva smirked at the sight of her partner. Tony was clearly suffering from a hangover, compounded by the humidity. She decided to let him have a few more hours of misery before giving him some hints.

She glanced around the police station. It was small and very run-down. The white paint was peeling off the walls, the stench of cigarettes was almost overwhelming, and the desks looked as though they would fall to pieces if someone sneezed.

Everyone was gathered around one of these desks, waiting for an officer to return. Jenny and Gibbs were standing a little closer than usual, and Ziva made a mental note to warn Jenny about it later. McGee was trying to watch the two of them surreptitiously, and not doing a good job. Tony was suppressing moans and clutching his forehead. She wondered why Gibbs hadn't hit him yet.

The police officer sauntered back over to them. Ziva eyed him carefully. Darius Sophocles was an average everything; average height, average weight, average intelligence. She had learnt to be wary of anyone who could blend into a crowd so easily.

"The file," he told them, passing it to Gibbs. He clearly wasn't comfortable with the idea of a female in charge.

Gibbs passed it immediately to Jenny, who opened it and glimpsed a single sheet of paper inside. She read it quickly.

"Daniel Sutcliff was shot in the head, and the gun was found in his hand," Sophocles informed Gibbs. "It was an open and shut case of suicide."

"No note?" Gibbs inquired.

"Over half of the suicides here do not leave a note," he answered, his Greek accent masking his words slightly.

"You didn't perform an autopsy," Jenny pointed out.

He looked surprised. "We did not require one. The dead here need to be buried quickly. It was clear that he killed himself."

"You _assumed_ he killed himself," she warned.

Gibbs stopped her before she lost control by placing a hand on her arm. "We don't want to tread on anybody's toes," he informed the other man.

Sophocles nodded.

"Do you have any photographs of the scene? Was an examination done on the body?"

"The photographs are over here," Sophocles began rummaging through a worryingly large pile on his desk. "The local doctor had a look at the body, and his notes are over there." He waved at a somewhat smaller pile on the other side of the room.

Another police officer located the notes at the same time as Sophocles found the photographs.

"Do you have video-conferencing?" Gibbs asked.

The officers laughed in response.

"How about web cameras?" McGee tried.

* * *

Ducky was amazed that Abigail could work with the music so loud. Since the Director had dropped everything and left for Kos, Agent Wofford had been left in charge. The Goth and the Acting Director got along very well, which was presumably why the music was at an earsplitting level.

She jumped when she whirled around and spotted him. Using the remote to lower the volume to a more acceptable point, she beamed at him.

"Blood and tissue samples from Private Cohn downstairs," he told her, placing them on the table and offering her the chain of evidence log.

She signed it cheerfully. "Where's Palmer?"

"You know, that young man has disappeared again," he complained. "I've tried looking everywhere –"

"A leash might do the trick," came Gibbs' voice.

Abby spun around, trying to spot him. "Gibbs!" she squealed. "How slow is your connection?!"

McGee appeared on her computer screen. "Sorry. The bandwidth necessary for a video conference is practically non-existent out here, but I tampered with the –"

"Got some stuff for you to look at," Gibbs interrupted.

"I thought you were merely attending a funeral," Ducky said.

Gibbs peered over his shoulder. "The Director suspects foul play."

"Okay," Abby answered. "What've you got?"

"Photos and a report by a local doctor."

"Primitive."

"McGee is going to email them to you two."

"And you want us to have a look for any inconsistencies." Abby started bouncing up and down.

"You don't think we'll find any," Ducky guessed.

"It can't hurt to look," Gibbs told him.

"What is _really _going on, Jethro?" his old friend asked.

"I think her judgment is clouded," Gibbs replied before severing the link.


	4. Siesta Time

_Thanks to my wonderful beta Kristen. Siestas really are a good idea in Kos..._

Chapter 4: Siesta Time

Jennifer Shepard wondered why the humidity had affected her agents so badly. It was mid-afternoon, and they were all having siestas. She had not been affected as much, and had taken the time to amble along the beach and back, treating herself to a few sips of bourbon on the way.

Without anything better to do, and knowing that the others would not send out a search party for another couple of hours, she had decided to locate her sister. As usual, it had taken her half a second to work out where she would be.

Dodging screaming children who were jumping into the outdoor swimming pool, she stepped into a slightly shadier area against the wall. She mimicked Lily's position, leaning back against the wall and looking towards the pool.

They were, predictably, wearing exactly the same clothes, with exactly the same floppy hat on their heads, and had exactly the same pair of aviator-style sunglasses on.

"Drinking before noon again?" Lily asked, without taking her eyes off her son.

Jenny winced. When her sister had worked out just how much bourbon she had been drinking throughout her pursuit of Le Grenouille, Lily had tipped a small fortune down the kitchen sink before engaging in an argument that had caused the neighbors to ring the police. "I had a few sips," she defended herself.

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Not yet."

They watched as Jasper tried to dive into the pool and ended up doing a belly flop.

"We need to stay away from each other," Jenny decided.

"So your agents don't figure out how often we swap?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'so they don't realize you exist'."

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "Fine by me. How do you propose we do this then?"

Jenny considered. "Jasper picks where you go?"

"Why don't you get LJ to pick where you go, then I can go where I want."

"I might need to make decisions, and if you really are on vacation…"

Lily broke her observation on her son and shifted slightly. "We are on vacation."

"At the same time as I am? In the same place? At the same resort?"

They shared a grin. "Okay…" Lily conceded. "The vacation's a cover."

"For what?"

"Can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?"

"It's classified."

"Operation Lazarus classified?"

Lily turned back towards her son. "Need to know."

"Whatever happened to 'no secrets'?"

"It never changed. 'No secrets except classified ones'."

"Your security clearance is higher than mine."

Lily grinned. "Is that a statement or a complaint?"

"I'm not sure," Jenny admitted.

"Join the CIA," her sister advised, as Jasper charged towards them.

"Aunt Jenny," he squealed, throwing his arms around her and soaking her.

"It's good to see you too," she answered, glaring at her sister.

"Are you on vacation?" he asked.

"No, sweetheart, I'm working on something."

"Will you come to dinner with us tonight?"

The sisters shared a look. "I can't," Jenny told him. "But if you want, I can take you somewhere now."

* * *

Tony smiled wickedly as a thought occurred to him. In an attempt to survive the hottest part of the day, everyone had taken the Probie's advice and were taking siestas. Tony had caught up on some of the sleep that he had missed the previous night, which had lessened his headache.

Gibbs had taken him to one side when they had arrived back at the hotel, and told him that drinking large quantities of alcohol when already suffering from dehydration was an extremely bad idea. He had suggested drinking a lot of chilled water throughout the day, and then doing whatever he liked in the evenings. Of course, 'whatever he liked' really meant 'whatever he liked as long as he was sober and not hungover when on duty the next day', but Gibbs hadn't needed to add that part.

Now, feeling refreshed and energized again, he decided to put his plan into action.

"McGee, the room's on fire," he called, loud enough to wake the other man.

The Probie woke up with a start, fought his way out of his covers and ran for the door, before noticing that Tony hadn't moved an inch.

"I've had an idea."

McGee groaned. "Did you have to wake me up to discuss it?"

"I need your help."

McGee gave him a very suspicious look. "With what?"

"Didn't Ziva teach you how to pick locks?"

"Yes…"

"And everyone's resting?"

"Supposed to be resting," the younger man complained.

"So, if Jenny and Gibbs are sleeping together, shouldn't she be in his room?"

"You want me to break into _Gibbs'_ room? I won't leave in one piece!"

Tony shook his head. "We don't have to do that. She's supposed to be in Ziva's room. All we have to do is see if she is or not."

"I'd rather break into Gibbs' room," McGee told him. "At least I'd die quickly."

* * *

Ziva woke up instantly. It took her a moment to realize why. There was a soft scratching at her door. Someone was trying to pick the lock!

Reaching under her pillow, she tightened her grip on her omnipresent gun and padded silently across the room. Deciding that surprise would give her a good advantage, she flung the door open and aimed her gun –

At a very scared-looking McGee.

"Err… good afternoon," he spluttered. "Did you have a nice rest?"

She glared at Tony, who was a few steps behind McGee and attempting to make a quick getaway. "You could have knocked."

"It was Tony's idea," McGee rapidly confessed.

Tony stopped trying to escape and came over to the door. "We were just wondering –"

She realized what he was going to do, and pulled the door almost closed behind her. "Wondering what?" She was vaguely aware that she sounded murderous.

"Where the Director is? We had an idea and wanted to talk to her," he lied smoothly.

"She is asleep," Ziva fibbed straight back. "I do not wish to wake her."

"It'll only take a minute," Tony tried.

"I can take a message," she offered.

Tony considered his options. "We've got a bet going," he admitted.

"I do not care for your stupid bets."

"Only because you tend to lose! I think that Jenny isn't in your room because she's in Gibbs' room."

'_Damn_,' she thought. "She is asleep," she replied aloud.

"If I'm right, McGee owes me fifty bucks. Want to join in?"

* * *

Although he suspected that his agents would be taking advantage of the time to sleep, Gibbs had found himself unable to settle down. He supposed it was because he was getting used to having someone else with him, but Jenny had chosen to go for a walk instead, claiming that she would not get any sleep later if she slept now.

Admittedly he had no intention of letting her sleep later, and he desperately wanted to catch up on some of last night's sleep, but the heat had got to him. Sleep was not coming any time soon.

Instead, he had tried to come up with some other things to do. He had gone over the very brief report that they had photocopied at the police station, and looked over all the notes he had taken. He couldn't find anything to substantiate the father's claim that his son had been murdered. On the other hand, he didn't have anything that definitively pointed to suicide, like a note.

Hearing a small disturbance coming from the direction of Ziva's room, he headed towards the door. He placed his ear against the wood and listened for a few moments. Everything appeared to be under control, and he doubted that McGee would let Tony persuade him to pick the lock to Ziva's room any time soon. He chuckled to himself as his cell phone rang, and he located it on the balcony table.

"Gibbs," he answered, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Bossman!" came a very excited cry, accompanied by some of the loudest music, if it could be termed that, he had ever heard.

The music was suddenly switched off, and Gibbs sighed in relief. "Jethro?" came Ducky's voice.

"I'm still here," he told them, guessing he was on speaker.

"How's Kos?" Abby asked.

"Hot," he answered. "How many Caf-Pows have you had today?"

"Only a few more than usual."

"A _lot_ more than usual," Ducky corrected.

"I miss you guys," she complained.

"Lay off the caffeine for a while," Gibbs ordered, rubbing his head. Even five thousand miles away, her caffeine-induced antics were starting to give him a headache.

"But _Gibbs_, I can't work without my Caf-Pow."

"Abs," he warned.

"Okay, so I looked over the pictures and I found nothing out of place."

Ducky joined in. "The report you sent is woefully inadequate and an autopsy should really have been performed."

"It's very hot out here; the body needed to be buried quickly. The entire police service in Kos probably gets less money each year than one of us gets paid," Gibbs pointed out.

"Nevertheless, I cannot see anything that makes me suspicious of a murder," Ducky replied. "However, as we did not investigate it at the time, I can't conclude with absolute certainty whether he committed suicide or not."

"Thanks Duck. And you too Abs," Gibbs praised.

"Gibbs! Before you hang up and go after the bad guys, coz there must be bad guys if you're asking us to look at grainy images and read rubbish reports, and your gut is obviously telling you something, and I don't want to tear you away from the investigation –"

"What, Abs?"

"Why was Daniel Sutcliff's body buried in Kos?"


	5. The Calm and The Storm

_Yet more thanks to Kristen! And I confess to 'borrowing' one of my favorite lines from another TV show for this..._

Chapter 5: The Calm and The Storm

Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood at the end of the harbor wall, letting the wind ruffle his hair. The sun was beginning to set, bringing a welcome cooling in the air. The waves lapped against the stone wall and the birds soared in the sky.

He tightened his grip on the woman in his arms. Jenny had not objected to the walk, and he had yet to tell her about the phone call from Washington. For now, he was content to relax and enjoy Kos.

Watching the sun set had been something they had shared many times in Europe. Jenny had termed it 'an acquired taste', much like his beloved bourbon. In all honesty, he preferred to watch the sun rise, casting its warm rays across the earth as the new day began. Unfortunately, in his line of work, he encountered more sunsets than sunrises.

The redhead shifted slightly. "We need to start heading back," she told him.

"Hmm," he replied. "A few more minutes…"

"Tony will start another bet if we don't get back soon."

He chuckled softly. "He's already started it."

"Really? Damn. I was hoping we could keep it quiet for a bit longer."

"Ziva was holding out on him. He won't be able to prove anything."

They allowed the peaceful stillness to wash over them for a couple of minutes, before Gibbs loosened his grip and took her hand instead.

"Okay, let's go back. I presume I'm picking dinner tonight?"

She smiled. "Only because you don't want to run into my sister. Does she scare you _that_ much?"

"Marines aren't scared of anything."

"What about ex-marines?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes and guided her in the direction of their hotel. They walked along the beach, dodging the small waves that threatened to soak their feet.

Unexpectedly, he asked her a question. "Why don't you think this is a suicide?"

She stared at him for a moment as her mind shifted gears from 'Jenny' to 'Agent'. "What makes you think it isn't?"

His attempt to catch her off guard hadn't worked then. "I talked to Abs and Duck. They couldn't find anything that suggested murder."

"Did they find anything that proved it was a suicide?" She was starting to dig her heels in and he knew he had to stop her.

"No, but they can't prove murder either. Look, I think… I think your judgment is clouded."

She gave him a glare that would have killed a lesser man. "And why do you think that?"

"Because you think that your father didn't commit suicide but was murdered."

Pure fury crossed her face, and he realized too late that he'd hit a serious nerve. "You think I can't be objective?" Her voice had gone very quiet and he knew from her tone that he should be sprinting for the nearest bomb shelter.

"If another agent was running this case with the same background as you, would you leave them in charge?"

She tried to rein in her anger. "This entire case is based on assumptions, and you are questioning my _objectivity_?" Her voice was beginning to rise in volume and she appeared to be one step away from causing him serious bodily harm.

He put his hand on her arm to calm her; she jerked away as though it was red-hot. She stalked off, back towards the hotel, her entire body language screaming to him that he'd really messed up.

He winced, realizing that Lily was on the same island and would have no qualms about gutting him for this…

* * *

The atmosphere at dinner that evening was tense. Gibbs had chosen a small Italian restaurant ten feet from the beach, with a canopy above them and several huge flat screen televisions on large stands dotted around. A tiny skeletal kitten had come over to them, and the team had fed it with their food. As it skittered away, it had mewed faintly.

Jenny was still fuming, pushing her food around her plate. She didn't feel hungry. How _dare_ he accuse her of lacking objectivity? When he had a gut feeling, he forced everyone to follow it, but when _she_ noticed a few problems with a case, they were glossed over. Typical. Well she wasn't the junior agent now; he had to listen to her. If he wanted to get on the next damn plane to the States, he could. She was staying and getting to the bottom of this.

Her father. She was still certain that he had been murdered. Even Lily had told her to let go of him, to worry about the present instead of the past. She supposed it was because living in the past could easily kill a CIA agent. In spite of everything, Jenny allowed revenge to run through her veins. She didn't know what Gibbs thought about Le Grenouille's death, preferring to keep him guessing. She seriously doubted that he knew the whole truth, although she thought that he thought he did.

Finally, the meal was over and everyone got up, frantic to leave. Though they did not know what was going on, the 'Gibblets' knew better than to stay in the firing line when the Director was irate.

Jenny watched bemused as the younger agents fled to the relative safety of the local bars. She might have been a bit snappy with them, but she didn't want to kill them.

Unlike the silver-haired man who was observing her warily.

She had completely ignored him throughout the meal, acting as though he wasn't there. She had decided to let him squirm; he didn't need to know that she hadn't determined what to do with him yet.

Gibbs took a final look at her, before heading towards the bars himself, presumably to drown his sorrows in some bourbon. She glared at his back, and turned towards the hotel.

After a few minutes, she became aware that someone was following her. And it wasn't just anyone –

Lily tapped her on the shoulder. "Had a good meal?" she asked, acting as though she was oblivious to her sister's body language.

"I need a favor," she told her, holding back her fury.

"Name it."

"I need everything you can get me on a Petty Officer Daniel Sutcliff."

"Right…"

"I don't care what you do or who you do or who you have to grease, I need that information and I need it now. Are we clear on that?"

"Crystal. Need anything else while you're at it? Massage? Chocolate? A certain agent keelhauling?"

Jenny grimaced. She should have known that her sister would pick up on her mood instantly, and be able to attribute it to the right person. "It'll blow over."

"Should I evacuate my son just to be safe?"

Jenny fixed her with a glare.

"Bit too close to the mark, I guess."

"Just a bit."

"Tell you what," she offered, wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders and pulling her into the hotel. "I've got some bourbon in my room. I can't drink it all by myself, not with Jasper there…"

* * *

Tony stretched languidly on the sun lounger he had rented. After an extremely tense meal the night before, Gibbs had given his team the morning off, and told them to stay away from the hotel. With any luck, he was calming the Director down. Tony had caught sight of her earlier, heading out to get some coffee. She still appeared to be in a foul mood.

He couldn't understand why Gibbs was stupid enough to cross swords with a redhead, especially Jenny. The only time he had ever dared to do so was just after his car had been blown up. No one else in the entire building was crazy enough to continually annoy her, not even Abby who could probably literally get away with murder. Nevertheless, Gibbs was happy to wind her up as much as possible.

"TONY!"

Ziva's shout bought him out of his thoughts. "Yes, sweetcheeks?"

"I have been calling your name for the last five minutes," she complained. "What were you thinking about?"

"I don't want to know," McGee shuddered on the other side of him.

"What was that argument about between Gibbs and the Director last night?" Tony asked, squelching down his original reply.

"They weren't arguing," McGee corrected.

"They must have argued at some point because she was ignoring him," Ziva contended.

"Exactly Zee-vah," Tony agreed. "She was angry about something he did. Wonder what it was?"

Ziva gave an unladylike snort. "Like they would tell us."

"Jenny would tell you," he coaxed.

"And if she did, I would not tell you," she countered.

"Would you tell the Probie?"

"No."

"Abby? Ducky? _Anyone_?"

"No one."

Tony scowled. "Come on, Ziva. Live a little! Share some secrets."

"Secrets are secrets because no one knows them."

McGee smiled to himself. He wondered if he could work that line into his next book…

Tony glared at him. "What's so funny, McLoony? You're supposed to be backing me up."

"Ziva's right," he replied. "And I'm not sure that I'd want to know why they are arguing."

"Thank you Tim." She nodded her head at him in gratitude.

"I bet she made him sleep on the floor last night," Tony thought aloud.

"She's sharing with Ziva," McGee pointed out.

"She's not, Probilicious. Maybe she made him sleep on the chair on the balcony?"

McGee shuddered again. "Uncomfortable. And I don't think she's that kind of woman."

"Exactly," Ziva agreed. "Sleeping on the floor is much more likely."

The two men both turned to her. "Really?" Tony drawled.

Ziva clamped her hand over her mouth.

"She's not sleeping in your room, is she?" Tony wheedled. "She's staying with the boss…"

"Fine," she snapped.

"YES! Probie, fifty bucks now."

McGee groaned. "I've only got Euros. When we get back to the States, okay?"

"Not a problem. So, how long has this been going on for, Zee-vah?"

She debated what to say; they already knew the worst of it. "Her suitcase is in my room, but she has stayed in his room every night."

"Gibbs and the Director," Tony mused.

"Get your mind out of the drain, Tony."

"Gutter," he corrected automatically. "And the view from the gutter is really good."

* * *

Jenny stomped back into the room she was supposed to be sharing with Ziva. Her trip to the coffee shop had taken longer than she had expected since she had become stuck behind a car. Why cars were allowed down these narrow streets, she did not know, especially as they blocked the whole path.

Her eyes caught sight of the file on her bed…


	6. Nothing But the Truth

_Thanks to Kristen! Sorry this is a bit late, but I've literally just arrived home and kicked my brother off the computer for five minutes..._

Chapter 6: Nothing But the Truth

McGee eyed the redhead cautiously as he ate his lunch. Gibbs had chosen the place where they were eating yet again. This time they were at an Indian place in the middle of nowhere. The walk to get there had worked up a serious appetite for everyone.

The boss and the Director were still not talking, and the tension between them could be cut with a knife. Tony and Ziva were on edge, waiting for the moment when this would descend into all out warfare. And Gibbs…

Gibbs seemed almost… nervous. As though he knew something the others didn't. Which was probably true, especially if the team's thoughts were correct. But even that didn't seem to cover it.

McGee smiled as the waitress came over again and checked that everything was okay. He thought that she was very nice, not one of those simpering idiots who asked because they had to, but someone who truly cared about their enjoyment. There were not that many people like that in Washington.

He missed home. Even though this was a case, and they wouldn't be away for too long, he missed the comfort of the office, and Abby. After discovering that his cell phone had managed to switch itself off somehow, he had found about sixty missed calls from the Goth. He had yet to get the opportunity to call her back.

As everyone finished their meals, the Director pulled a file out of her bag and placed it on the table. There was an interesting glint in her eye; it was almost triumphant.

"Daniel Sutcliff was under investigation by the Greek authorities for drugs smuggling in Kos," she announced.

McGee realized that this was a 'bad thing' as she shot Gibbs a look of fury. This argument was getting out of control rapidly. Why was Gibbs stubborn enough to annoy her?

"Doesn't prove he was murdered," Gibbs told her.

"He could have double crossed someone," she argued back.

"Still doesn't prove he was murdered."

"He was playing a dangerous game."

"Should I teach a parrot to save me from repeating myself? It. Doesn't. Prove. Murder."

"If this were any other case you would be all over it. Drugs smuggler, under investigation, now dead. Surely your gut has something to say on this?"

He straightened up and looked her dead in the eye. "The guy knows he is under investigation, can't stand the pressure, and kills himself."

Judging by the way she gripped the table, that was not the best thing to have said to the Director. Gibbs seemed to have realized it too.

"You haven't said anything to change my mind," he continued.

She glared at him for a few moments, before getting up and storming out of the restaurant.

"Err, boss?" Tony piped up.

Gibbs glared at his senior field agent. "What?"

"Any chance you could lay off her for a bit? She's clearly not taking this well…"

Gibbs' glare grew harder.

"And you don't need my advice, boss."

Gibbs' only reply was to look over his shoulder in the direction the Director had left.

* * *

Ziva dodged yet another motorcycle as it made its way through the narrow streets. This was never going to work.

A few hours after the argument at lunch, Gibbs had ordered his team to stop their siestas and search for the Director. He appeared to be worrying about her, and Ziva was too.

She hadn't seen her friend blow up like that in a long while. Normally when she was angry, Jenny would stand her ground. Only when she was feeling murderous would she remove herself from the situation to calm herself down. Ziva knew this, and, so it seemed, did Gibbs.

She wasn't sure which part of the argument had annoyed her friend so much. Presumably Gibbs had hit a nerve, and a pretty big one at that. She knew that suicides upset Jenny, although she had never persuaded her to tell her why. But there was something about this one in particular…

She wondered if she should manipulate Jenny into telling her, for her own good of course. Surely if Tony could make her – Ziva David, Mossad officer – slip up, then she could get Jenny to open up.

Gibbs was searching with them. He had ordered everyone to go into alternate shops and check if she was in there. They had already checked the coffee shops and had a long walk up the sandy beach, places where Ziva assumed Jenny would have fled to, to no avail. Ziva had checked her room when they had returned to the hotel, and left a note on the bed asking Jenny to call her, just in case.

But they had found nothing.

Checking all the shops was the next logical step. Perhaps she had decided to indulge in some retail therapy. It wouldn't be the first time, and probably not the last. Gibbs was becoming more and more edgy by the moment. She wondered if he thought Jenny might have done something stupid.

Ziva spotted a familiar flash of red hair at a table up ahead, and called to the others. She decided to seize the moment and sat down next to her friend.

The redhead was sipping coffee and reading a book. Her hat was pushed back slightly, still protecting her face from the sun but allowing her to read more easily. Her shades had been placed on the table.

"Shalom Jenny," Ziva greeted her calmly.

The redhead looked up for a moment, before returning to her book. "Shalom Ziva."

"We were worried."

"Were you?"

The rest of the team reached the table and sat down. Gibbs was being cautious, Ziva noticed. Actually, he looked more cautious than he should be, almost as though he expected her to shoot him or something. She filed it away for later examination.

"You look calmer," Tony noted.

"Coffee, a good book, and a nice location. How am I supposed to get worked up?" the redhead asked.

"You were – you know – more stressed out over lunch."

"I just needed some time to calm down."

Ziva studied her friend more carefully. There was something about her eyes…

"Do you still think Sutcliff was murdered?" McGee questioned.

There! It was almost imperceptible, but it was there. A sudden flash of understanding in her eyes.

"Can you prove he killed himself?" she shot back, completely calm.

Lily. It had to be Lily. Gibbs had once told her that Lily was more guarded with her eyes, although she personally found it very difficult to tell them apart. So where was Jenny?

"You've got nothing," Tony reminded her.

Now she understood why Gibbs was so wary. He knew it was Lily too, but couldn't say anything. And if Lily was half as protective of her sister as Ziva thought she was, Gibbs was in serious trouble over this.

"Petty Officer involved in a drugs smuggling ring dies in suspicious circumstances? I'd say _you_ have nothing," the redhead argued, still incredibly calm.

"We should let you enjoy your coffee," Ziva interrupted.

Gibbs said nothing, eyeing the two women carefully.

"I'll catch up with you in a couple of hours," the redhead offered.

The team stood up. "Back to the hotel?" McGee queried. "I want to finish my siesta."

"You would, Probie," Tony laughed. "Can't miss your afternoon nap."

"If I'm not mistaken, you've been having siestas too."

"Only because nothing happens here in the afternoons."

Gibbs and Ziva ignored the bickering and slipped behind the others.

"That was Lily?" she asked him.

"That was Lily," he confirmed.

"So where's Jenny?"

* * *

Gibbs resisted the urge to punch something, but only just.

Jenny still hadn't shown up, and he couldn't ask his team to keep searching for her, not after they found Lily instead. He couldn't risk them smelling a rat. Dinner had been a subdued affair; no Jenny, and Lily hadn't shown up to take her sister's place. Ziva knew that Lily was here, which wasn't too bad, all things considered.

Unfortunately, Lily now knew why Jenny was in such a foul mood. With a great deal of luck, she had cornered her sister and forced her to calm down, but Gibbs knew that his luck wasn't _that_ good and she was probably plotting her revenge somewhere. Both of them probably were. Perhaps even sitting in some bar together, knocking back bourbon, calculating the best way to get back at him.

He reminded himself that it might be a good idea to start taking some of those vacation days he had saved. If he was on the other side of the country, or a different continent, it might give them a chance to calm down and not torture him.

Or, more likely, Lily would just chase him to the ends of the earth, before doing whatever painful thing or things she was currently planning.

Life wasn't fair sometimes.

A sharp knock on his door bought him out of his musings, and he picked up his gun before opening it a crack.

One sister.

A second look told him it was Lily.

Definitely not good.

He tried to close the door, but she stuck her foot in it.

A third look told him she was not alone.

"Jasper?" he asked, momentarily confused.

"Hello Agent Gibbs," the boy replied.

He looked up at Lily. "I need you to look after my son," she told him.

"Your son? Oh, _this_ is why you practically lost it when he disappeared that second time."

She shot him a look that promised pain in his near future.

"I mean, this is why you were extremely concerned about his well-being."

"Better." She let go of Jasper's arm and motioned for him to enter the room.

Gibbs let him pass before turning back to her.

"I have somewhere I need to be, and I'm not leaving him alone overnight."

"Don't they have childcare in this place?"

"Not in the evenings, and I don't know how long I'll be gone for."

"Seen Jenny?"

She smiled enigmatically. "Perhaps." She walked towards the stairs and he made no move to stop her, instead closing the door and walking over to the table where Jasper was now sitting.

"What have you got in the rucksack?" he asked.

* * *

Lily exited the hotel and followed the road round to the dirt track by the side. The night was dark and she would not be seen.

"Hey Jenny," she called softly.


	7. Kos Town Adventure

_All hail Kristen! The dune buggy / tumble dryer comparison is true, although I've never been in a tumble dryer, but it did feel similar..._

_I don't normally plug other people's stories, but I recommend Aserene's_ The Cup of Red Threads_. Go. Read. In fact, go read anything by Aserene. Wait, come back! Read the new chapter first!_

Chapter 7: Kos Town Adventure

Cloaked by the darkness of the night, the dune buggy raced along the deserted roads. Its lights were off, to hide it better, and the warm air rushed through it. It felt like being in a tumble dryer.

Lily was driving the two-seater, while Jenny rode shotgun. Their journey was being conducted in a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the wind whipping through the roll-cage. They passed over a high mountain, along a road that would only allow a single vehicle to travel at a time. The sides were steep and far above the ground; the drop was a long, terrifying one.

Jenny didn't really know why she was here. Her sister had found her in a tranquil, out of the way bar, taking her time with a glass of bourbon. They'd shared a few more glasses before leaving to collect Jasper from his kids club at the hotel. Dinner was a quiet affair at a restaurant that her nephew had chosen, a fish place called Finding Nemo. Lily had agreed with it on the grounds that Jethro would never go near the place.

Jenny had wanted to stay away from her agents for a while, particularly Jethro. Being with her family always calmed her down, mainly being near Lily. Jasper had also helped; she couldn't rant and rave while someone so young was around, and Lily had played on that.

"Where are we going?" she called suddenly over the noise of the buggy.

"Does it matter?"

Jenny rolled her eyes. "If this is classified…"

"It's not classified. I wouldn't have bought you along if it was."

"So why won't you tell me?"

"You tell me if I can kill LJ, and I'll tell you where we're going."

"I don't want you to kill him."

Lily took her eyes off the road for long enough to shoot a glare at her sister. "Even after he accused you of lacking objectivity and hit several nerves about Dad?"

'_Sometimes it's useful to have someone who's practically psychic, and sometimes it's a complete pain_,' Jenny mused.

"Have you got a come-back or not?" Lily yelled over the engine.

"He doesn't understand why I want this case investigated."

"And I do?"

"You… you just help out, because you're my sister. And he gets all stubborn and refuses to do anything."

"I've killed for you," Lily reminded her.

"He's killed for me," Jenny protested. "When I was kidnapped. He shot James Dempsey to save me."

"To save you. Whereas I've done it because you asked me to."

"I didn't ask you, I said that he was being a pain in the ass and I wished he was dead."

"You would have shot him if I didn't."

"But you could get away with it."

"If you had joined the CIA, you would have gotten away with it too."

Jenny glared at her sister, who kept her focus on the road. "Stop trying to recruit me."

"I killed him to protect you."

"Jethro took my bullets away."

"And you call that protection?"

"He was trying to protect me in his own way. Like you did."

"Do you need him to protect you?"

"Not in the same way you do."

"I don't follow."

Jenny sighed. "You protect me because we're sisters. He protects me because he cares."

"I care!"

"Not in the same way."

"In what way does he care about you?"

"He loves me."

Lily risked a slight smile; Jenny didn't notice.

"He loves me," Jenny repeated quietly. "And he's trying to protect me."

"From what?"

"He's right. If another agent had the same background as I do, I'd tell them to step down from the case."

"So why won't you?"

"Because someone needs to take an interest. Someone needs to find out what happened."

"You think if you went home now, he would follow?"

"I think he'd stay and try to solve it himself."

"And it's taken you _how_ long to figure this out?"

Jenny punched her sister's arm. "Sometimes…"

"Sometimes what?"

"You're a wonderful person."

"Tell me something I don't know."

They giggled together. "So where are we going?" Jenny tried to steer the conversation back on topic.

"Kos. The main town the other side of the island."

"Bet that causes a lot of confusion. Kos the town, Kos the island."

"Tourists have fun with it."

"And why are we going to Kos Town?"

"Apparently your Petty Officer used to socialize with some men out there. And these men are currently loading items onto a boat, which is supposed to be under observation by the Greek authorities."

"Supposed to?"

"My source kindly told me that the officers on surveillance are being plied with drinks before they go on duty. They spend most of the night asleep. Therefore, I think we could have a little look-see and investigate ourselves."

Jenny grinned. "How long will this take? And why aren't you borrowing my agents?"

"I have to meet an informant in Bodrum, Turkey tomorrow. It's a short boat trip between Kos Town and Bodrum. Tourists go on day trips all the time. Jasper and I are booked on one tomorrow."

"Which is why you've been posing as a tourist."

"Exactly. If I borrow your agents, I don't know if I could get back in time, and I can't afford to miss the ferry. There's only three miles of sea between the two places, and I don't want to have to swim it."

* * *

Gibbs groaned as Jasper won again. It was very embarrassing that an eight year old was able to beat him at poker, and he wasn't even losing on purpose. Admittedly they were playing for buttons, but still…

Jasper had produced the cards and buttons out of his rucksack. Apparently, he used to play with his mother in the evenings. He also claimed that Lily would give him five dollars for every button he had left at the end of the night, but Gibbs wasn't sure whether that was true or not.

To be honest, he had been shocked to learn that Lily had a child. He just didn't see her as the maternal type. She played mind games, she was a big bad CIA agent, and she had no qualms about causing havoc whenever someone annoyed her. But a mother?

Jasper presumably looked like his father. Gibbs had not seen a picture of Brigadier General Brian Thompson, but Jasper only seemed to have inherited his mother's green eyes. He seemed smart and alert, which could have been attributed to either parent, and he was good at sleight of hand, Lily's favored trick.

Gibbs was having difficulty picturing Lily married. He knew from investigating Jasper's life that his father had been murdered before he was born, dying in his mother's arms. He wondered whether Lily would have given up her CIA life to become a full-time mother if her husband was still alive.

"You want to play again?" Jasper asked, smiling a deceptively sweet smile.

"Go on then, young man," Gibbs answered.

Jasper shuffled the cards expertly and started dealing.

"Do you play this at school?" Gibbs queried.

"We're not supposed to, but we do," the child admitted. "I'm pretty good at it."

"I bet you are. Can you beat your mother?"

"We're about even. She doesn't have a tell and neither do I."

"What about her right eye?"

"It only twitches if she wants you to think that she's lying. You haven't figured that out yet?"

Gibbs shook his head when he saw his cards. "I think I'm going to fold," he announced. "Your aunt's eye twitches."

"But they're not completely the same. You just have to know the differences."

"I thought I was quite good at it."

"I'm better than you." He wasn't mocking Gibbs, merely stating a fact.

"How often do you see your mother?"

"When I can. When she's not working and she's in Washington. I stay at the school when she's working."

"Do you miss her?"

"Every day. But she takes me on vacation a lot. We went to Australia a few months ago. It was really cool!"

"How do you cope without her?"

"At school, no one sees their parents much. I see my mom more than most. She sends me postcards from all around the world. Sometimes they don't say anything; they're just to show me roughly where she is so I can look at the globe in my classroom and find her."

Gibbs smiled at the clear happiness on the boy's face.

"But what's most important is that she loves me. I know she does, and I know she misses me. She has to do her job to keep everyone safe, including me."

Gibbs was surprised at the child's understanding of the situation. If Kelly had ever gone into boarding, he doubted she would have taken to it so well. He knew, deep down though, that he wouldn't have let her because he couldn't bear to be apart from her. Going to war meant leaving her behind, and Lily had been leaving her son for years.

"Did I say something wrong?" Jasper asked.

"Nope," he replied. "But if you ever want to go anywhere when you're back at school, or just talk to someone, you let me know."

* * *

After observing the boat covertly for several hours, the sisters decided to make a move.

Although it was dark and cloudy, the night was still very warm compared to Washington. The police officers were rather obviously snoring in a car parked down the road. The sisters had found a spot at the docks when they had arrived, watching as crates and boxes were loaded onto the boat. Jenny had asked why the boat needed loading; Lily had told her that customs would sometimes search the smaller boats on suspicion of drugs smuggling, while larger boats with cargo were less likely to be checked.

As the workers took a short break, Lily and Jenny snuck along the side of the boat and jumped aboard. No one appeared to have spotted them. They made their way through the boat, locating the cargo hold that was already half full. Noticing a few corridors at the back, they edged their way past the crates and headed down the first passageway.

There were doors leading off, which they ignored. They needed to see faces or drugs to be able to go further with the investigation. The water lapped against the boat, rocking it slightly, keeping them alert. They ducked into a room as someone opened a door further ahead. Once the person had passed, they entered the corridor again and kept their eyes open.

Nothing. The boat seemed almost deserted. They reached the final room, before turning around to make their way back.

Three men stood behind them, armed with automatic rifles.


	8. In Trouble

Chapter 8: In Trouble

Jenny and Lily stood together in a corner of one of the rooms on the boat. They hadn't realized just how cool it was below deck, and were starting to shiver slightly.

The room was completely empty. Lily guessed that it had previously been used for storage, and the rusting, leaky pipe in the ceiling at the center of the room had probably put paid to that.

One of the gunmen had left; Lily presumed that he had gone to inform the captain of their arrival. Another two gunmen had taken his place, to make sure that the sisters were outnumbered. Upon capture, they had been searched for weapons. Jenny had given up her sister's gun, having left her own in her room that morning and been unable to retrieve it, while Lily had given up several knives. They had also had their cell phones confiscated. Now, alone and unarmed, the gunmen hadn't bothered to tie them up, which did not bode well.

Lily couldn't believe they had made such a Probie mistake. The first rule of snooping with someone meant that you split up, or someone stayed on guard. Like idiots, they had stuck together, meaning that there was no way of getting help. They were going to have to deal with this themselves.

In addition, the odds weren't good. If she were on her own, Lily would have had no misgivings about trying four on one, even if the four were armed and she wasn't. While Sydney Opera House still stood, and all that. But Jenny was there. Armed, and they would have attacked. Unarmed, all they could do was wait for the right moment.

* * *

Jenny shifted slightly closer to her sister to conserve body heat. She hadn't had the chance to pick up any other clothes since the argument at lunch, and she was feeling the cool of the boat. Her sister had refused to bring anything warmer on the grounds that the more identical they looked, the better. Looking alike had pulled them out of more than one scrape before.

How could they have been so stupid? They hadn't even heard the gunmen sneaking up on them. They should have known that they were dealing with professionals and called her agents out. Gibbs would have rubbed her face in the fact that she needed help, but she would have lived.

Now she just had to pray that the gunmen knew who she was. The likelihood of being shot and thrown into the water was a lot less if they knew that she was the Director of an armed federal agency, even if she was not on home turf and had seen part of their operation. The gunmen were more likely to get away with this if they let her go or ransomed her.

And Lily would confuse them.

It was an idea, at least. It wasn't one of her better ones, but her father had always told her that beggars can't be choosers.

She should have told Jethro where she was going! She should have ignored the petty row and gone to him. At the very least, someone would know where they were. For now, she was relying on his famous gut.

* * *

The door to the room creaked open and the first gunman reappeared. He pointed to the sister on the left.

"Take her down the hall. Leave the other one in here."

The sisters watched helplessly as they were separated…

* * *

On the other side of the island, Gibbs was feeling a bit better. He had managed to win back some of his buttons, and he currently had a very good hand. His opponent studied his cards once more and pondered his next move.

Gibbs knew that winning against such a young lad shouldn't feel as good as it did, but his pride was at stake. No eight year old should be capable of beating him at poker without him throwing the game. Then again, Jasper wasn't an ordinary eight year old. Lily had probably taught him how to kill a man with his bare hands.

He held on to the last thought. Would Lily have taught her son most of the things she knew? Would she have hidden what she was capable of from him? Or would she have taught him only enough self-defense to protect him?

He suspected the latter. He would have put money on Jasper having no idea how to operate a gun, and she probably watched him like a hawk when he chopped vegetables in the kitchen, _if _she let him anywhere near a knife.

He noticed calm green eyes observing him, and checked his cards again.

"Want to raise?" Gibbs asked.

The boy continued to eye him. "Yes." He slid two more buttons across the table. "And I call."

They flipped over their cards at the same time and Gibbs groaned. He'd lost again.

Jasper smiled as he collected his winnings. "You're pretty good," he conceded.

"You're better," Gibbs told him, ruffling the boy's hair softly. "Aren't you tired?"

"Nope. I stay up _much _later than this at school. And Mom's been making me take siestas as well. She doesn't want me to get sunburnt."

"She's looking out for you. But, siestas or no siestas, it's very late for a young boy."

Jasper scowled. "I can't go to sleep until Mom comes back. I need to know that she's okay."

"Your mother can look out for herself."

"I know she got caught in an explosion not long ago. And a few months before that, someone shot her. And before that, someone else gave her ricin. The doctors thought she was going to die. I watched her vomit blood for three days until she started to recover."

"Do you worry about your mom?"

Jasper shrugged. "Sometimes. But then I think about everything that she's survived, and I think that she's going to be okay."

Gibbs hid a frown as he realized that his gut was playing up. Something was wrong. But what? He assumed that Lily had taken Jenny for backup, so it couldn't be that. Unless she hadn't… but Lily could take care of herself. Maybe Jenny was in trouble? Except Lily knew that her sister was irate, and she wouldn't have left her alone, not if she was in any kind of danger.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Someone was pounding on the door. Jasper and Gibbs shared a nervous look.

* * *

Jenny had struggled to contain her shock as the captain had walked into the room. Darius Sophocles, that annoying officer from Kardamena Police Station. She decided that if she got the chance, she was going to give him a black eye. Only one; Lily could have the other one.

The gunmen had handcuffed her to a pipe in a room filled with crates. She suspected they were empty from the way they almost slid around as the boat rocked.

Darius slapped her again, and she blinked the tears out of her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he all but yelled in her ear.

She stayed silent.

"Why are there two of you?"

That was better. Lily _was_ confusing him. She knew it would buy them some time, hopefully for Lily to actually do something. If she wasn't guarded…

"If you do not start talking, I will shoot your friend."

She looked him straight in the eye. "Are you sure that _she _isn't Director Shepard?" she asked. It was their favorite trump card, and the only thing she was going to give him.

* * *

In her own room, just down the passageway, Lily listened to the thump of crates being loaded. It seemed to be coming from above her…

When they had taken her sister, Lily had been left alone, although she had heard a key being turned in the lock. She wasn't particularly worried about that. Her hands had not been bound, and even though the room appeared empty, she was resourceful.

As usual, no one had bothered to search her thoroughly. Thus, no one had found what she was relying on.

A small wad of explosives.

C-2, to be precise.

C-2 is favored by archeologists because it blows rubble away from the sides of artifacts without damaging the relic itself. It is small radius/high-impact, and Lily had carried it for years as it could blow locks. And the best part was that no one ever seemed to know what it was even if they did find it.

She crouched by the lock, judging how much she would need to get out. There was no point in wasting all her stash if she only needed a little. And she _did _only need a little.

She continued to listen to the noises up above her. If she timed it carefully, they wouldn't hear her leave.

She paid attention to the whine of the winch. It came overhead, and then…

THUMP

It muffled the explosion perfectly. Even she didn't hear it.

Gingerly, she pushed the door open and looked out. The passageway was empty. She crept out and pushed the door to behind her. Jenny could wait for five minutes. While they didn't know where she was, she had work to do…


	9. Out of the Frying Pan

_Thanks to Kristen for beta-ing. Special thanks to my cat, who is the reason this chapter is going up. I sort of forgot that I was supposed to update tonight, and she reminded me..._

Chapter 9: Out of the Frying Pan

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Gibbs stared at the door for a moment before leaping into action.

Although he did not know who it was, he knew it would not be good if they discovered Jasper in the room. He grabbed the rucksack in one hand and swept all the buttons and cards into it. Then, he thrust the bag into the boy's hands and pushed him towards the tiny en-suite bathroom.

For the second time that night, Gibbs picked up his gun before he opened the door a crack.

* * *

Jasper glanced around rapidly. The bathroom was virtually empty. The toilet was directly opposite the door, with a small bin next to it for toilet paper to go in. The shower was to the right of the door. It had a flimsy plastic curtain that could be pulled across it. In between the toilet and the shower was the sink, and above that was a small window.

There was nowhere to hide if someone came in.

Jasper clutched his rucksack more tightly, and made up his mind.

* * *

Gibbs glared at the people waiting outside.

"DiNozzo, David, McGee. You three had better have a good reason for disturbing me," he growled.

"Err, boss, we thought -" Tony started to splutter.

"We are worried about Jenny," Ziva smoothly interrupted him.

"Jenny can take care of herself," Gibbs pointed out.

"She has still not come back yet."

"Like I said, Jenny can take care of herself."

Tony decided to try his luck again. "You're not worried, boss? I'd be worried about her if I was sleeping with –"

He was cut off when Gibbs hit the back of his head a lot harder than he usually did.

"Ow! What I was trying to say was that she should have come back by now, even if she's really pissed off." He rubbed his head furiously.

"She can have as much time as she needs to calm down," Gibbs replied, still glaring at his senior field agent.

"Shouldn't we be protecting her anyway?" McGee tried. He was standing a pace behind the others.

"What part of –"

"Especially if she's still angry. She's more likely to get into a situation where she needs our backup."

Gibbs considered this carefully. Sometimes McGee could read people well. His gut _had _been playing up earlier. He had assumed that it was whoever was at the door, but what if that wasn't it? The sisters didn't go looking for trouble; it had a horrible knack of finding them. Particularly when they were together. And he would bet a lot of money on them being together right now…

"Gibbs." Ziva's voice broke through his musings.

"What?"

"Tony and McGee were concerned that Jenny might be… in your room. I have told them that she would not be in there because you would have told us that she had returned. I was wondering if you could allow them to see for themselves?"

Gibbs thought for a moment. He knew they wouldn't find a trace of her; they'd been careful. Jasper was the only problem, but as long as his team stayed out of the bathroom, everything would be okay.

"Sure," he told them.

He stood back and let them through. Ziva followed, which wasn't much of a surprise. While McGee checked the balcony and Tony, rather amusingly, checked the wardrobe and under the bed, Ziva reached for the bathroom door. He couldn't call out to her, couldn't order her to stop without rousing their suspicions.

Ziva opened the door and peered around. Gibbs glanced over her shoulder, ready to tell her to keep her mouth shut –

The bathroom was empty. There was no sign of Jasper.

* * *

Lily crouched behind some crates in the cargo hold. Ahead, she could see some more gunmen. This didn't bother her. She just needed a little more time, and possibly a gun.

She couldn't foresee getting hold of a gun being a problem. She could charm someone, she could talk her way into and out of a situation, or she could simply overpower them. The main problem was Jenny.

She had no way of knowing how her sister was. Scratch that, no way that almost anyone else on the planet would accept as a way. She knew Jenny was holding up, for now.

Which left her with the overall problem – getting them both out in one piece.

The place was swarming in gunmen, all of whom seemed to know who to work an automatic rifle. By now, they would have found their dune buggy, so that way out was not going to work. The police officers outside had probably been slipped a few sleeping pills much earlier on to ensure that they didn't wake up at an inopportune moment. She had no access to a cell phone, although in theory she could steal one from one of the gunmen.

She could picture the phone call in her head. '_LJ, it's a clueless CIA agent who has got herself in a bit of a pickle. Get someone else to guard Jasper while you haul your butt here and get me out of this predicament_.'

Hell would freeze over before she'd make that call. Which left her with her final option.

Come up with something spectacular.

Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. In recent months she had faked her sister's death and blown herself up. She had been sorely tempted to stick some explosives in the coffin at the funeral when she'd heard that LJ was stuck on protection detail. Her sense of decency had stopped her from doing it. While she had no qualms about blowing some lowlife's body into a thousand different pieces, this was a Navy sailor. It had nothing to do with Jenny's almost certainly homicidal reaction if she carried out her plan.

Although the sisters had feuded on occasion, they tended to make up fairly speedily. Mainly because they understood each other so well, half the time they didn't bother to talk. LJ had learnt the hard way to never play the two of them at poker; they played as a pair without needing to talk to each other and had a very nasty habit of winning.

They both liked winning.

Which was what they were going to do now.

If only she could focus and think outside of the box for a moment –

She noticed a crate not too far from her current position. If it was labeled correctly…

She was suddenly very glad that she'd conserved her C-2, because she was about to use the rest of it. And every police officer in Kos Town was going to be heading in their direction in the next five minutes…

* * *

Jenny glared at Darius. It was a patented 'Gibbs glare', one that struck fear into the heart of almost every agent he used it on, and sent them scrambling out of the way.

It wasn't working as well on her captor. So far he'd done nothing more than slap her, something she was sure Lily would have something to say about. But the threats had been worse, threats of torture, of pain, of death.

Jenny forced herself to focus. She just needed to give Lily time. Lily would find a way out of the room, get a gun, and come and rescue her. She'd do the same if the roles were reversed. But she needed to give her time…

Her resolve was holding through an interesting trick she'd used before. Ziva had once suggested that one way to hold out under pressure was to imagine yourself somewhere else, somewhere you felt safe. Jenny was using a slightly different technique; she imagined what Lily was going to do to this creep when she showed up. So far she had run through scenarios involving extremely sharp knives, fire ants eating him alive, spit roasting, and a few hundred angry alligators.

Okay, so they weren't likely to ever occur, but that in itself was keeping her going. If she didn't talk, Lily could do any number of things to Darius, and she wanted to be around to watch it.

Darius put his mouth back to her ear; she tried not to recoil. It wasn't very easy when she was handcuffed to a pipe.

"I'm starting to think that I'm talking to the wrong one. Maybe your friend in the other room will talk if I try her. Or maybe I should bring her in here and torture her in front of you."

Jenny tensed slightly. Darius saw his opening and went for it.

"I mean, you clearly don't care about your own well-being. I wonder how long it would take you to crack if I hurt her?"

Jenny hoped from the bottom of her heart that her sister had managed to get herself free by now, because they were running out of time. He was right; she would cave rather than let him harm one hair on Lily's head.

"Bastard," she hissed at him.

He chuckled. "I've been called worse." He turned towards one of the gunmen on the far side of the room. "Go get the other one. Bind her, and then bring her in here."

The gunman reached for the door –

BOOM

The entire boat shook. Two seconds later the radios crackled to life. Jenny couldn't understand a word. Darius listened with an odd expression on his face before barking orders. The gunmen rushed out of the room. He turned back to Jenny.

"I'm afraid that we are sinking," he told her. "Or rather _you_ are." He tested the handcuffs that were holding her to the pipe and seemed satisfied that she wasn't going to be able to work herself loose.

"Enjoy the rest of your miserable life," he smirked as he walked out of the room, leaving her to a watery grave.


	10. Into the Fire

_Thanks to my wonderful beta Kristen! And to everyone who's reviewed/been reading so far. It's starting to come to an end now..._

Chapter 10: Into the Fire

Gibbs stood in the tiny bathroom, trying to work out where Jasper had gotten to.

He had shown his agents out of the door a few minutes ago, after they had seen for themselves that Jenny was not present. He honestly had no idea where she was, and was relying on Lily having found her. Which, considering how alike they were, had almost certainly occurred.

He had fought back the urge to tell Ziva what was going on. Part of him was tempted to ask her to help him hunt the sisters down, while another part reminded him that he didn't have a clue as to where they might be. He didn't fancy searching every bar and club in Kardamena, and definitely didn't want to end up facing two women, who, by now, were probably extremely drunk.

Even if they were in trouble, he was sure that a CIA agent and a director of an armed federal agency, who had been an excellent agent herself back in the day, were capable of getting themselves out of it. Especially as they had worked together before and were pretty much unstoppable.

Yes, Lily and Jenny were fine, wherever they were. Or, if not fine, drunk.

He had a sudden terrifying image of the pair of them showing up at his door, so drunk they could hardly stand, and squashed it. He had never seen Lily drunk, but he knew Jenny tended to lose her inhibitions and presumed it would be the same for her sister. The last thing he needed was an angry Lily with fewer inhibitions than usual. He wasn't sure he'd survive.

He glanced around the bathroom again. Jasper was not behind the shower curtain, which was pulled back anyway. But there was nowhere else to hide…

His eyes caught the little window above the sink. It was far too big for an adult. But a small boy? One who felt his life might be in danger?

Gibbs reached up and pushed the window open. It didn't make a sound. Realizing that there was no way he could see out of it, but knowing there was a small roof the other side, he decided to call out.

"Jasper?" he hissed. "They've gone."

A scrabbling sound came from outside. Then, a whispered reply. "Prove it."

"Come back in and you can see for yourself."

There was a moment of silence. "Say something that proves it's clear."

Gibbs understood what the boy was asking for. If it was not a trap, he was supposed to give a coded phrase. He tried to think of something that he would not say under duress, something the boy would know.

The scrabbling came again. This time, Jasper was trying to move away from the window.

"Steak au poivre." He called the first phrase that came into his head.

To his surprise, the scrabbling came closer and Jasper stuck his head back through the window.

"Wasn't expecting _that_," Gibbs muttered under his breath.

Jasper swung the rucksack through the window before climbing back through. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Gibbs told him.

* * *

Jenny struggled frantically against the pipe. She knew she couldn't pick the handcuffs without some sort of pin, and the pipe wasn't the strongest in the room.

Her sense of urgency was heightened when she had realized that the boat really was sinking. Fast. And if she couldn't get out, she was going with it.

Her main hope was for Lily to come back. Deep down, she wished that her sister would just get out, keep herself safe and not worry about her. However, judging from the fact that something had exploded and was causing the boat to sink, she had a funny feeling that Lily was behind it.

Distraction techniques were some of Lily's favorites. Any sort of mind game and she would leap at it. She had a habit of doing things that no one expected, which was great in a CIA agent. And she kept things close to her chest. Jenny had tried her sister's techniques, but to less spectacular ends.

Her heart skipped a beat as the door crashed open. Lily stood momentarily in the frame; a handgun fitted with a silencer in her left hand, her right hand clutching something.

She rushed across the room with surprising speed. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"I've been better. What on earth did you do?"

"I'll explain later." Lily opened her hand to reveal the key to Jenny's handcuffs. "We need to get out of here, _fast_."

Twenty seconds later, Jenny was rubbing her wrists. "You took your time," she complained.

"Had to get out of a locked room, figure out a way to get us out of here, hide for a short while, get hold of a gun and a silencer, and take out half the crew who tried to prevent me from getting here. How long would it have taken you?"

Jenny ignored the barb and raced out of the room, stopping short when she saw a dead body just outside the room. "You shot half the crew?" she inquired.

"I shot some of them." Lily's voice was calm as she approached, stepping over the body and heading towards the cargo hold. "This way."

They ran through the passageway in silence. The boat was now starting to tip over; Jenny wondered exactly what her sister had done. After coming across more corpses, they finally reached the cargo hold, and Jenny froze.

There was a large hole the other side of the room. It had breached the hull and water was pouring through it. She briefly speculated how long the boat would stay on the surface for, and realized with a jolt that they didn't have long.

Lily grabbed Jenny's arm and pointed to a door in one of the walls. "It leads to the main deck," she shouted over the horrendous noise of the water. "I can almost guarantee a few guards. I'll go first, you follow. Dive into the water and swim for it."

"I'm not swimming," she protested, but Lily was already pushing her towards the door.

"I'll cover you. And I promise to follow. Keep swimming _away_ from the dock."

Jenny groaned but acquiesced. Lily kicked the door open and fired a few rounds while Jenny jumped. Pushing off from the hull, she began to swim.

* * *

After what felt like days, but was probably a couple of hours, Jenny began to tread water. Lily completed a few more strokes before joining her. Together, they looked back towards the island.

Kos Town was still slightly visible, if only by the sheer number of blue lights indicating emergency vehicles. The boat had probably sunk ages ago, but the explosion had been big and loud enough to attract some serious attention.

The water was not freezing, but the sisters were dressed for a warm sunny day and were starting to feel the cold. Their swimming had been keeping them warm.

"New plan?" Jenny asked.

"Keep going."

"What?!"

"We must have swum two miles. Bodrum is only another mile away."

"You knew? You knew when you came up with this crazy plan that it involved us swimming all the way to Bodrum?"

"No, my original plan involved us getting back to the hotel to pick up my son. Then, it changed to getting us off that boat and towards Turkey. I was hoping to steal a motorboat, if you must know. Now, we might as well keep swimming."

Jenny glared at her.

"I have to meet my informant tomorrow. And I know a few people who can put us up for what's left of the night."

"Why did I agree to come on this trip anyway?"

"You wanted answers. You were right; your Petty Officer was murdered. I heard two of the gunmen talking about it."

"Please tell me you kept them alive?"

"They were in my way," Lily shrugged. "If I'd kept them alive, I would have had to leave you behind."

Jenny froze as another thought occurred to her. "There aren't sharks in these waters, are there?"

Lily laughed. "I hope not."

* * *

Ziva ate her breakfast in silence, ignoring the bickering between her teammates. She had stayed awake all night, waiting for Jenny to return. Nothing. Tony and McGee didn't seem as bothered as she was, mainly because they thought they had seen Jenny yesterday afternoon.

But they had seen Lily instead. So where was Jenny? And why hadn't she made it back?

She glanced up when Gibbs entered the room, followed by a little boy. It took her a second to place him…

"Jasper?" Tony called, shocked.

Gibbs walked over to the table and poured himself a mug of coffee. "Found him wandering outside," he told them.

Ziva saw through the lie, but the others didn't. "What are you doing here?" she asked the child.

"I'm on vacation," he smiled.

"With whom?"

"My mom."

"Where is your mom?"

"I don't know."

Gibbs interrupted. "He seems to have got lost. I've talked to the manager and he's staying with us for the moment."

McGee went back to devouring his toast. Tony continued to stare at the boy, still trying to place him. Her partner had been under the impression that he had seen Jasper somewhere before, but had never figured out where. Personally, she thought it was all in his mind.

Ziva looked at Gibbs again. Underneath his cool demeanor, he appeared concerned. Jenny definitely hadn't shown up then. And he had no clue as to where she was.

"What are we doing today, boss?" Tony queried.

"Jasper, what do you want to do?" Gibbs deftly turned the question around.

The boy looked solemnly at him. "I want to go to Bodrum."

"But that's in Turkey," Tony complained.

"We could get the bus," McGee pointed out. "And hire a boat in Kos Town. It's only three miles across the sea and Gibbs can sail."

"Do you not get seasick, McGee?" Ziva checked.

He paled at the thought. "Oh yeah."

"Boss, do we have to go?" Tony whined.

"If Jasper wants to go to Bodrum, we're going to Bodrum," came the reply.


	11. All Together Again

_Almost there now. Only the epilogue to go after this... Thanks to Kristen!_

_And the parts of Bodrum I got stuck in (and lost in) were like this. I was also advised to stay away from the perfume for the same reason Lily gives to Jenny._

Chapter 11: All Together Again

Lily looked up and down the street. Or rather, streets. Bodrum's shopping area was full of maze-like alleys, which confused many tourists. On the plus side, it was the perfect meeting place for her informant.

The sisters had spent the last few hours of the night sleeping on the dockside. Lily had attempted to call her contacts in the town, but someone else had answered the phone and she had instantly hung up. They had rapidly left the area on the off chance that someone could be coming after them.

When the sun had started to rise, Lily had broken into a small shop and 'borrowed' two sets of identical clothes. They had dressed and washed as best they could in the public toilets; Jenny had glared at Lily until she had pointed out that they were both secretly enjoying it.

They had shared breakfast at one of the many bistros by the dockside. When Jenny had threatened to get bourbon, Lily had disappeared for ten minutes and come back with rather a lot of money. Jenny hadn't asked where she'd gotten it from. Sometimes she just didn't want to know.

With Jenny dispatched to buy whatever she wanted – having been warned not to buy the perfume as it tended to not be perfume – Lily had begun the search for her contact. Ducking through the streets, weaving in and out of traders and tourists, keeping her head down as much as it was possible for a redhead, Lily had scoured the entire shopping area several times before she spotted the man. He motioned towards his head and promptly vanished into a large crowd.

Groaning, Lily bought a scarf at the nearest stall and wrapped it round her head to disguise her hair. This time she wouldn't be as recognizable.

The chase continued. Between buildings, down tiny dark alleys that tourists avoided for fear of being mugged, through markets and past huge shops, she hunted her prey.

The sun was beginning to beat down mercilessly when she decided to stop for a moment. She stepped into a dark and dingy bar off the main street to catch her breath and get a quick drink. As luck would have it, she was the only customer. The bartender served her before heading back upstairs.

She sat by the grimy windows and watched the world go by. Her contact would only be here for a few more hours and she needed to find him, fast. Sipping her bourbon, knowing that Jenny wouldn't be happy about it, she looked up as another customer entered.

It was him.

He glanced in her direction, temporarily stunned.

"Unless you ring the bell on the counter, the bartender won't come," she told him, completely calm.

He seemed to size up the situation before coming over to her.

"Have you got what I want?" she asked.

He nodded.

She reached into her top and withdrew several large bills. He counted them carefully before pocketing them.

"It's good to see you, plamennaya malyishka," his Russian accent greeted her.

"Same here."

"I heard about a boat exploding in Kos harbor last night," he told her, watching for her reaction.

She grinned. "Haven't lost my touch."

"Be careful," he warned.

"Aren't I always? So, to business. Where is he this week?"

* * *

As his team looked around, Gibbs felt lost. He had gone along with McGee's idea, and they were now standing on Bodrum dockside. McGee had sounded as though he regretted ever speaking aloud if his seasickness was any indication. Jasper had barely left Gibbs' side, and clung onto his rucksack as though the world depended on it.

Which, knowing Lily, it quite possibly might.

Now all he had to do was locate one of the sisters. Jasper had steered them towards Bodrum, and had whispered to Gibbs that he and his mother were supposed to be visiting today. Although Gibbs was having nightmarish visions of Lily arriving back at the hotel and throwing a few nuclear missiles around when she couldn't find her son, he suspected that she was not in Kos on vacation. If she was up to something, he guessed it involved the day trip.

Tourists were swarming in front of the castle up ahead. Gibbs strode past them, and his faithful team followed. Jasper had chosen to hold Tony's hand. Gibbs knew that the younger man was even now trying to figure out where the boy had seen him before. Gibbs had a few ideas of his own, but didn't plan to share.

He had barely taken two steps into the main shopping area when he saw one of them. Unsure which way round they were, he decided to get Jasper to go up to her first –

"Jenny!" Ziva called.

The redhead turned slowly and smiled at the Israeli. "Shalom Ziva."

Gibbs needed only a split second to know that they were dealing with Lily. He guessed that Ziva would require a lot longer.

Lily came over to them and smiled when she saw Jasper. "Good morning, young man. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm on vacation," Jasper repeated for about the fifth time that day.

"Did you get lost?"

"Yes," he answered.

She ruffled his hair gently before turning to the others. "Why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?" Tony asked.

"I thought a nice spot of retail therapy would do me some good," she told him, semi-honestly.

"I heard about an incident in Kos Town," Gibbs started.

"Sorry about that," she replied smoothly. "Had a minor disagreement."

McGee looked confused. "What happened in Kos Town?"

"Someone pulled a gun on me. We were on a boat. I got loose and blew up the boat."

"Do I want to know how?" Gibbs questioned.

"C-2 explosive. Found a crate containing some old grenades in the cargo hold. Turns out that the quantity of C-2 I had left was enough to set off the grenades and blow a rather nice big hole in the hull."

Ziva and Tony grinned, McGee looked seasick still, and Gibbs reminded himself yet again to not cross her.

"Very James Bond," Tony commented.

"How far back did you have to stand?" Ziva queried.

"How did you get here?" McGee inquired.

Lily shook her head softly. "If you don't mind, I'm rather hungry. I saw a nice restaurant just up the hill. Anyone else coming?"

* * *

As the afternoon changed into evening, everyone met back on the dockside. Gibbs had spent most of his time in a bar, Tony had talked to lots of young women, McGee had visited the castle, Ziva had examined several fine weapons that she had been tempted to add to her collection, and 'Jenny' had taken Jasper for a walk.

They were the last ones back. And this time, it really was Jenny.

She took in the boat that Gibbs had hired to come after her, and smiled to herself. It was something she might class as 'sweet' to her sister. It showed her that he still cared, even though she had stepped over the line and allowed herself to get mad at him. By the looks of things, he had panicked and come after her.

She knew that this would lead to a very interesting conversation with her sister. One they hadn't had in a long time. One that Lily would invoke the alarm clock incident over. Right now, she didn't care. She just wanted to thank him properly, something she couldn't do with the others about.

It didn't take long before they were underway. Gibbs stayed in the front cabin while his team and Jasper spread out on the deck, trying to catch the last few rays of light. Jenny snuck into the cabin and slipped her arms around his waist.

She didn't need to see his face to know that he was smiling.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Fine."

"Spending most of the night in the water didn't make you ill?"

She pulled back and stared at him. How did he know?

"Lily told Jasper who told me," he answered her unspoken question.

"I'm sorry."

"Never apologize, it's –"

"A sign of weakness, I know. But I do owe you an apology for losing my temper with you."

He looked into her eyes. "It was my fault; I should have thought before I opened my mouth."

She smiled at him and he smiled back. She moved towards him, their lips brushed –

"Boss!"

They sprung apart and whirled around. The cabin was still empty. They made their way over to the door and found the team still sitting on the deck.

"There a good reason for your call, DiNozzo?" Gibbs growled.

"Yeah. What happens now? Are we going home, are we continuing the investigation, are we –"

"It's over," Jenny interrupted.

Everyone stared at her.

"I've been looking into Daniel Sutcliff."

"You mean, when you weren't sulking," Jasper joined in.

She glared at him.

"Tony said you've been sulking for the last few days," he tried to defend himself.

Gibbs hit his senior field agent round the back of the head, before motioning for Jenny to continue.

"Daniel Sutcliff was smuggling drugs to supplement his income. He also ran up a few gambling debts. When he started spending money he was supposed to be giving to his suppliers to pay off his debts, they got a bit annoyed." She didn't mention how she got the information; Lily had told her about her own research over breakfast. She also kept Darius out of it, as Lily wanted to go after him.

"Rock on Jenny," Tony muttered, obviously impressed.

"So what are we ruling his death as?" Ziva asked.

"I think we need to talk to his father first," Jenny cautioned.

"Hang on a minute," Tony exclaimed. "What are we going to do if they ask for your passport at customs? Did you bring it with you?"

She pulled her passport from her pocket and held it up for him to see. He didn't need to know that Lily had put both their passports in Jasper's bag in case they needed to leave in a rush. Some things were still classified.


	12. Epilogue

_Thanks for sticking with me! The next story, Operation Lazarus, should in theory answer all your questions from this and the previous two stories, including how Jasper 'knows' Tony. It should go up in the next few days._

_Special thanks to Kristen!_

Chapter 12: Epilogue

Sitting in the hotel room, Gibbs sensed that something was off.

He wasn't sure what it was. His team and Jenny had just told Mark Sutcliff what they believed had happened to his son. The man seemed thankful that they had discovered the truth, but there was something hidden underneath it.

"What would you like us to do?" Jenny asked.

Mark considered it. "I presume you can't rule it murder without some form of proof?"

She shook her head. "It would be difficult," she admitted.

"Could you try? Please? I don't want it on record that he killed himself."

"I'll see what I can do," she promised.

Everyone shook his hand as they left.

Gibbs reached the car before he realized what the man had been hiding. Mark Sutcliff was scared.

* * *

As the plane started to take off, Jenny reached across and caught Gibbs' hand.

He squeezed it tightly, clearly remembering that she didn't like flying.

She closed her eyes, and squeezed back.

* * *

Mark Sutcliff woke up with a start. Someone else was in his room!

He tried to reach for something, anything that he could use as a weapon. Nothing.

Darius Sophocles stood opposite him, gun in hand. "Got the money?" he asked.

"I just need more time," he pleaded, grateful that his wife was staying with friends.

"I gave you time," Darius growled. "You got the damn Director of NCIS prying into my business. I lost fifteen men due to her and her friend. And I didn't even get to kill her."

"I'm sorry," he implored. "Just a little more time."

Darius pulled the trigger.

"Guess you should have paid me what your son owed," he muttered as he left the room.

* * *

"There they are, there they are, there they are, there they are!" Abby squealed, bouncing up and down on the spot.

Ducky laid a hand on her arm in a futile attempt to calm her. "See, Abigail, they are fine," he soothed.

"Why didn't Timmy call me then?" She raced over to the team and hugged McGee tightly.

"Hey Abby," Tony offered.

She ignored Tony, and punched McGee's arm instead. "Why didn't you call?"

"My phone's been playing up," he protested.

"You could have borrowed someone else's phone," she told him.

"Do you know how expensive a call would have been?"

"One call! To say that you were okay!"

"You could have called someone else!" he protested.

"Sometimes it is best not to argue," Ducky joined in.

Jenny and Gibbs shared small smiles. If only he knew…

* * *

She answered her cell phone. "Shepard."

"Lily? We've got him. Stage three of Operation Lazarus can begin."

THE END... for now...


End file.
